Fantasy football value is found annually by filtering through the injured players from the previous season for the best bounceback candidates. Here is a look at the notable returning players returning from a partial or entire missed season in 2019:
Quarterbacks
Stafford played half of 2019 before missing the rest of the season with an injury. Through Week 9, Stafford was QB5 in per-game scoring as an impact fantasy option. The weapons are stable in Detroit with Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, T.J. Hockenson, Kerryon Johnson, and De'Andre Swift added this offseason.
Brees missed a chunk of 2019 but finished the year strong after essentially six missed games during the first half of the season. Brees was QB4 in PPG and would be QB2 if not counting is non-game in Week 2 were he quickly exited the game. Brees' weapons have improved this offseason with all key pieces (Michael Thomas, Jared Cook, Alvin Kamara outside of a holdout) returning and Emmanuel Sanders and Adam Trautman added.
Roethlisberger is the most glaring returning-from-injury quarterback for 2020. He played one complete game and part of another as the Steelers season, especially the passing game, took a decided downturn. Roethlisberger had a subpar Week 1 in a drubbing by New England to add a loss to his minimal output last season. The weapons are strong for Roethlisberger with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson flashing as a rookie in 2019, James Washington, Eric Ebron added, and James Conner returning from injury.
Running Backs
Conner's pace slowed from his breakout 2018 during his 10-game stint of healthy action in 2019. A significant factor was Ben Roethlisberger missing nearly all of the season and the Steelers quarterbacks struggling to balance the suddenly run-centric attack. During Conner's 10 games, he also logged three games late in the year with a mere 22 touches combined. Anthony McFarland was added on Day 3 in the draft, but Benny Snell from the 2019 rookie class did not flash enough to be considered a notable threat to a healthy Conner's workload in 2020.
Guice finished 2019 in the top-35 running backs on a per-game basis, playing the first five games of his two-year NFL career to-date. Injuries have been the watchword for Guice after a Round 2 selection in the 2018 NFL Draft and a promising LSU career. Guice's upside flowed through his 49 touches in 2019 to the tune of 5.8 yards per carry and 11.3 yards per reception and three total touchdowns. Health has been Guice's biggest roadblock to-date. The depth chart includes a still viable Adrian Peterson, Bryce Love also returning from injury, and offensive weapon Antonio Gibson drafted in Round 3. Although none of them pose a significant threat to double-digit touches per game, with upside from there, to a healthy Derrius Guice.
Johnson has missed chunks of both seasons in his career as Detroit added another Round 2 pick in DAndre Swift this offseason. On the positive side, historical research of similar situations (Day 2 incumbent backs with another Day 2 option added within two seasons) show a strong trend where the incumbent option is undervalued and produces well at least in Year 1 following the co-habitation.
Johnson was off to a strong start to 2019 with Kyler Murray under center and Kliff Kingsbury adding Johnson back to receiving viability for the opening six games. Over the span, Johnson caught a 2016-like 30 passes and had five total touchdowns. After Johnson's injury, Kenyan Drake was added, preferred in the offense, and Johnson did not look the same physically to close the season. Johnson sees a fresh opportunity with an offseason trade to Houston to be the clear-cut starter on a dynamic offense. If Johnson has his pre-injury movement back, he is a dynamic two-way threat to push for top-12 production.
Wide Receivers
Hilton missed six games as the Colts passing game struggled overall in 2019 with Jacoby Brissett under center. Hilton was on pace for a career-low in yards and yards per catch in the process. The team hopes to see a progression from Parris Campbell in his second season but lost Eric Ebron as Hilton's No.1 role is not in question. Philip Rivers projects as a net upgrade for Hilton as the new quarterback as well to rebound from missed games and a career-low season.
Green missed the entire 2019 season and this being absent for seven games in 2018 to log the double moniker returning from injury. Green is one of the highest impact receivers since 2011 and was durable, missing only 10 games over his first seven seasons. Green also has the fantasy hurdle of being an older player in addition to returning from injuries. On the positive side, Green's status as the WR1 in Cincinnati is not in jeopardy for 2020 outside of another sustained injury. An added variable is the unknown of an incoming rookie quarterback, Joe Burrow, as the engine for the team's passing game and the ultimate upside of all attached targets.
Will Fuller
Fuller is an annual staple for articles of this ilk, missing at least five games in three straight seasons. The per-game maven is impactful when he plays and seeing a 2020 depth chart with Brandin Cooks added and target monster DeAndre Hopkins subtracted. Durability has been the key trait missing for Fuller, who has developed as a short and intermediate target to round out his deep prowess over the years. Fuller has top-12 upside with a healthy stretch and, as the mantra goes, a player is injury prone until they are not. If Fuller posts a healthy stretch in 2020, he will shatter his draft cost.
Ross has a top-10 draft pedigree and was just coming into his own in 2020 when he missed half the year with an injury. His per-game pace was to eclipse 1,000 yards at 18 yards per reception and post six scores. Ross' draft profile and overt speed point to a better season ahead than his 2019 numbers in the macro view. If A.J. Green is healthy, as well as Tyler Boyd, the target upside is murky for Ross in the Bengals passing game, but Ross is on the upward trajectory after a middling opening two seasons in the NFL.
Thielen missed six games in 2019 and was on pace for his worst statistical season since 2015 when healthy. Of the notable Minnesota passing game moves in the offseason, Stefon Diggs was traded and Justin Jefferson drafted. Plus, Dalvin Cook has declared his holdout intentions as of early June 2020 to further impact the offense and potential Thielen targets. Thielen projects as the clear No.1 target in the passing game and one of the stronger bounce-back candidates on this list for 2020.
In addition to missing four games, Smith-Schuster absorbed the brunt of Ben Roethlisberger's lost season in 2019. Smith-Schuster's production sank like a boat taking on water after his breakout 1,400-yard campaign in 2018. Smith-Schuster's market consensus is tepid for 2020 despite signs pointing to him (and James Conner) being the biggest benefactors to a healthy Roethlisberger.
Cooks only missed two games by the ledger in 2019 but his accumulation of concussions over his career (and in 2019) combined with a down season has Cooks firmly on the rebound list. Cooks was traded again in the offseason but landed for a fourth straight time in his career with one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. Houston shed DeAndre Hopkins and Cooks, along with Will Fuller, are central figures for Houston's passing game. The upside is massive for Cooks with the risk that the next concussion, could topple his fantasy valuation.
Funchess barely played in 2019 after a high-value prove-it deal in Indianapolis lasted a mere one game and five targets with Funchess healthy. Funchess was one of the more underrated signings this offseason, finding another optimistic landing spot with Green Bay, who has struggled in recent years to find a running mate with Davante Adams. Funchess has been an overall frustrating fantasy option in his career, peaking with a mid-20s wide receiver per-game finish in 2017 largely due to eight touchdowns, but has a golden opportunity to rebound if healthy in 2020.
NKeal Harry
A training camp ankle injury derailed the first-round rookie's 2019 season before it started. Harry returned in Week 11 and was not a meaningful part of an offense which mandates plenty of trust and repetitions with Tom Brady. Harry flashed on rare occasions but his opening season was essentially a lost one. Julian Edelman returns as the likely 1A passing game option, but Harry has an elite prospect profile and Round 1 pedigree to point to a significant advance in Year 2 if healthy. The upside spectrum is murky without Tom Brady under center, but Harry is a strong progression candidate for 2020.
Williams emerged as an undrafted rookie to post 32-428-3 over a half a season in 2019 before missing the rest of the year with a torn ACL. On the positive side, the Dolphins did not notably add to the depth chart for 2020, pointing to an available role for Williams if he recovers well. On the downside, an undrafted receiver has an uphill road to turn into a consistent fantasy option even if flashes in games as a rookie. Williams had only one game of more than 12 PPR points in 2019.
Tight Ends
Engram has posted three straight top-10 seasons on a per-game basis as an impact tight end but has missed 13 games over the past two years. Engram can take advantage of a decent, but lacking a true WR1, wide receiver depth chart and be one of the few tight ends to be the central figure in his team's passing game if healthy. Engram was on pace for more than 130 targets last season, which would have been second in the entire NFL for tight ends.
After missing most of 2018 with a season-ending injury, Dissly's quality six-game run of 262 yards and four scores) in 2019 was halted by a torn Achilles. News is promising for Dissly's recovery but Achilles injuries are one of the tougher injuries to return to form for dynamic-moving positions. Also clouding Dissly's 2020 season, especially his start, is the addition of Greg Olsen to Seattle's tight end depth chart as a formidable stopgap for the entire season if needed or Olsen is a quality percentage of his peak form.
Njoku missed all but four games with a 2019 wrist injury. To further cloud Njoku's future (and 2020) is the splash signing of free agent Austin Hooper, who projects as the TE1 for the Browns. Even if using a hearty among of two-tight end sets on offense, Njoku has roadblocks to approaching his 2018 stat line of 56-639-4 in 2020.
Herndon missed a chunk of 2019 with a rib injury but also was suspended to open the season in a lost year for the former Day 3 selection. Herndon is a trendy breakout candidate after his 502 yards in 2018 with the Jets question-mark-filled wide receiver corps with Breshad Perriman the notable signing and Denzel Mims and incoming Day 2 rookie. Herndon is still only 24 years old with a quality season under his belt if off-the-field trouble and injury can elude him in 2020.
